“Rueda de Casino is a form of dance that originated in Cuba, specifically the pre-revolutionary Cuba era of the late 1940s and 1950s. The dance became very popular back then,” Andrew Sureshkumar, one of the founding members of Rueda at the Park KL, a local dance community, told FMT Lifestyle recently.
The Cuban group dance, he added, has a foundation in salsa.
“Back then, middle- and upper-class people would usually meet at casinos to dance a style called the ‘casino’. ‘Rueda’ means ‘wheel’ in Spanish, so we are dancing the casino style in a wheel (circle).”
The dancers perform synchronised moves in response to the commands of a designated caller, known as “el cantor”. “It fosters unity and also requires a bit of discipline,” said the 37-year-old.
Fun fact: did you know that today is International Rueda de Casino Flash Mob Day? All around the world, people are coming together to dance Rueda de Casino!
According to Sherilyn Foo – Andrew’s wife and fellow founding member of the dance group – members performed a flash mob on March 23 to accommodate their Muslims members who are still celebrating Hari Raya.
About 54 people, mainly members from Rueda at the Park KL, participated in the flash mob, held at LaLaport BBCC in Kuala Lumpur.
It was a heartwarming to see dancers of diverse races, religions, nationalities and ages move together in harmony. As Andrew, who was the “el cantor” led the group, the dancers exchanged partners smoothly and danced gracefully, drawing many onlookers.
The couple said that flash mob members were made up of Malays, Indians, Chinese, East Malaysians and those from Ecuador, Peru, Japan, India and the Philippines. Even the Cuban ambassador to Malaysia, Yadira Ledesma Hernandez and her husband, Octavio Jesus Rodriguez, joined in.
“Our dancers range from their 20s to their 60s,” added Foo, 39. Additionally, Andrew shared that their group consisted of students from different salsa dance schools – further reflecting Rueda de Casino’s unifying spirit.
This marks the second flash mob organised by Rueda at the Park KL – the first was held last year at Perdana Botanical Gardens.
“The objective of Rueda at the Park KL is to spread awareness and love for the dance, as it’s not as popular as hip hop or other types of dances,” said Foo.
“We’re also building a community while learning about another culture. At the end of the day, what we want to achieve is to have fun,” added Foo.
The group, which has about 120 members, meets once a month at Taman Jaya Park, Petaling Jaya. Additionally, they conduct introductory classes at dance schools.
One of their members who participated in this year’s flash mob was Juan Diego Carlozama Larrea, better known as Diego. A video editor from Ecuador, seeing him dance the Rueda de Casino in Malaysia is a reminder of how dance transcends boundaries and bridges cultures.
“They share the same passion for dance as Latin Americans do. I was surprised by how large the community is. It’s very nice and I feel like I’m at home,” said the 35-year-old, who has been living in Malaysia since 2022.
Another member who participated in the flash mob was Sabahan Nurul Afiqah Abd Lajid, or Pika, who shared her love for the strong sense of community that exists among members of the dance group.
“As you change from one partner to another, you get to interact with everyone. No matter where they come from or their social background, nothing matters except that you’re dancing together,” said the 27-year-old.
“It definitely makes it easier to create harmony because we are working together to execute this dance,” she added.
So, if you’re looking to try something new, exciting and make friends, Rueda at the Park KL is one of the best places to do just that.
To join Rueda at the Park KL, send a request to their Facebook group.